Vacation Experiences Research Articles

The dynamics of tourist excursion ratios in Slovakia show caves from 2000 to 2014

ABSTRACTShow caves are one of the most important targets in developing local ecotourism strategies. This work focuses on a tourism visit rate incidence through an Attractiveness Index concerning 12 selected show caves in Slovakia. Our study focuses on visitor counts published from 2000 to 2014. A set of eight criteria were selected in order to analyse and determine the appeal that each cave may have for visitors. Establishing the “degree” of appeal as an indicator of the tourism and geographic absolute attractiveness value is based on a principal components factor analysis; the resultant single factor was correlated with our selected criteria. We find a strong correlation between touristic cave attractiveness and cave locations, ease of cave passage access (vehicle and trail) infrastructures, cave location in main tourism regions, and the growth of urban areas as they encroach on show cave locations. Similar studies in valorization of show caves tourism have not been attempted in Slovakia or Eastern Europe. The data and result from this study are also clearly important from a managerial perspective. This general framework could be easily expanded to include additional attributes that might be relevant for other market segments or other vacation experiences.

Vacation happiness bias

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to theoretically formulate the plausibility of affective recalling through the analysis of different psychological theories and assumptions and develops the theory of vacation happiness bias on the emergence of some variations on affective recalling and forecasting intertwined with dispositional affect, affect regulation and types of situational affect.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a non-empirical method to find gaps in the literature and the existing theories and build a new theoretical model, vacation happiness bias.FindingsThe theory of vacation happiness bias accounts for how the modified focalism model that is expanded to affective recalling beyond affective forecasting works, and thus the modified model is better accounted particularly for the vacation field. In addition, the theory of vacation happiness bias explains how different types of affect and affect regulation are intertwined with one another within the modified focalism frame, thereby yielding some variation. Recalled vacation experiences are more positive than vacation experiences as of the present as a result of affect that is controlled through affect regulation merged with social desirability bias.Originality/valueResearch in tourism and psychology fields has not yet deemed affective recalling, even though affective recalling would likely be more salient in the vacation context that is different from the context of daily life.

Health Improvement and Recovery Experiences During Vacation of School Teachers: The Benefit of Physical Activity

The current study tested whether physical activity during a school teachers’ vacation is associated with health improvement. A second research question addressed whether recovery experiences (detachment, mastery, relaxation, and control) mediate between physical activity and health improvement. Forty-eight elementary school teachers filled out a questionnaire before and after vacation. Self-reported health status was assessed prior to vacation and during vacation and recovery experiences were assessed during vacation. Mean levels of self-reported general health increased during vacation. Health improvement was restricted to those teachers who were physically active during their vacation (p = .013). Analysis of covariance showed activity related group differences in recovery experiences during vacation. Those who did sports during their vacation reported significantly higher levels of detachment and mastery. The percentage of days with sports during vacation was positively related to experience of mastery and detachment during vacation. The mediation hypothesis was however not empirically supported. Physical activity during vacation corresponded with elementary teachers’ recovery and health improvement during vacation.

Premium offerings in the sharing economy: Authentic immersions

Over the past few years the sharing economy has grown tremendously, driven in part by traveler desires for authentic and unique experiences. In response to these modern changes, peer-to-peer (P2P) marketplaces (e.g., Airbnb) are seeking additional revenue streams, expanding beyond room rentals into guided tours, recreational, and cultural experiences. Rather than act solely as sharing economy lodging establishments, in the near future providers will increasingly supply authentic and immersive vacation experiences, acting as a host, guide, concierge, and traveling companion to their guests. This paper explores the ability of P2P providers to command premium pricing for authentic and immersive P2P offerings. The paper details this possibility, listing drivers of change before positing a scenario that helps envision a future in which P2P providers seize this opportunity. Finally, the paper closes with limitations, practical implications, and future research recommendations.

Vacation experiences begin at home: A cruise line example

ABSTRACTA cruise ship passenger is asked to complete a customer satisfaction survey a few days after returning home from her vacation. The passenger details a nightmarish ordeal concerning her departure day experiences and comments that while her experience on the ship met her expectations, the moments that stand out most in her mind are those of travelling to the ship and reaching her cabin for the first time. While she acknowledges that the cruise line was not directly responsible for most of her misery, she asks that the managers of the cruise line do what they can to mitigate these problems.

An analysis of destination image for emerging markets of Turkey

The purpose of this study is twofold: (1) to assess the perceived importance of the attributes that form the destination image (DI) based on general vacation experiences and opinions of travelers and (2) to compare the expected performance of Turkey’s attributes in attracting travelers from the emerging markets (i.e. China as well as Arab countries) using importance–performance analysis (IPA). The data were gathered from a sample of 426 prospective Chinese and Arab travelers during two prominent travel expositions in Dubai and Shanghai using face-to-face interviews with structured questionnaires. Comparative factor analysis and two generated IPA grids for each sample provided important insights into the perceived DI of emerging markets. More specifically, study findings provide valuable practical management information to destination management organizations in Turkey that want to design tailored marketing strategies for emerging markets. Further practical and theoretical implications are discussed in detail.

Modern vacations – modern families: new meanings and structures of family vacations

ABSTRACTIdeally, vacations constitute special times together offering families the chance to participate in novel activities and break the routine of daily life and scheduling while concentrating on each other, having fun and experiencing new things. However, families are changing and consequently, so are family vacations. Vacations traditionally included all of the immediate nuclear family, but with busy lives and differing work schedules, vacations might now only include some members of the family or expand to include extended family members. Families also increasingly take technologies and therefore other aspects of their lives with them on vacation. The question is whether these new technology-equipped family assemblages lead to fundamentally different vacation experiences. This study is a qualitative study from accounts of 10 family groups who have gone on vacation. It explores the structure of the modern family vacation, the role it plays in the lives of families, how families enact vacations, how modern families experience time together, what role technology plays and what meanings and traditions have emerged from modern family vacations.

Do great expectations lead to great disappointments? Pathological narcissism and the evaluation of vacation experiences

We wanted to examine whether narcissism affects the level of discrepancy between expectations for a vacation and the vacationer's actual experience. Using a pre–post panel design, we explored the association between narcissism and the confirmation of expectations for a vacation (the difference between the expectations of participants prior to a vacation and how they actually experience the vacation). Our sample consisted of 219 community-based vacationers (107 men and 112 women) from urban areas of Israel. The average age of the participants was 33.91years (SD=8.47). Participants completed measures at the beginning and end of a three-night vacation in a resort city in southern Israel (Eilat). In addition to a measure of pathological narcissism, the participants completed measures of their affective expectations (Time 1) and subjective experiences (Time 2). The link between pathological narcissism and positive affective expectations was moderated by gender such that pathological narcissistic personality features were associated with larger discrepancies between affective expectations and subjective experiences among men. Men with high levels of the vulnerable form of pathological narcissism reported being less satisfied with their vacation experiences than other individuals. These results suggest that narcissistic personality features and gender play roles in the anticipation of potentially pleasurable events, as well as how those events are actually experienced.

A preliminary examination of the relationship between consumer attitude towards space travel and the development of innovative space tourism technology

With increasing global competition in service sectors, innovative technologies have radically changed the tourism industry, and to be successful innovative products/services must have clear, significant points of difference that are related to needs in the market place. Furthermore, changes in consumer perceptions that emanate from an innovation are central to its effective product and service design. Although for most of us space travel is still a faraway dream, it is in fact a future probability that will increasingly attract travellers who seek new vacation experiences, and as a result, sustain academic interest. Thus, in initiating space tourism for the purposes of recreation, leisure and knowledge enhancement, a preliminary estimation of potential global demand characteristics that are specific to consumer innovators for space travel needs to be undertaken prior to promotion of research and development. In this context, this paper investigates both consumer attitudes towards space travel by analysing the components of motivated consumer innovativeness and the interest that potential consumers have in developing space tourism technology innovations within Taiwan. Consumer innovativeness is complex and comprised four innovativeness types, namely, social, functional, hedonic and cognitive. As product/service innovation development has been relatively unexplored in the mature industry of tourism, many business managers would welcome an understanding of which vacation travellers are most likely to be the earliest buyers of such an exciting new product. With data collected from a sample of 354 Taiwanese, this research uses mediated regression to examine the influence of the four types of consumer innovativeness on consumer's attitudes and acceptance of a space tourism technology innovation, and the mediating role perceived novelty plays in the relationship. The findings indicate that only hedonic and social innovativeness are associated with improved consumer attitude and that novelty partially mediates the relationship for those two types of consumer innovativeness. The implications for theory and practice are discussed. Limitations and directions for future research are also addressed.

Chinese Tourist Vacation Satisfaction and Subjective Well-being

While the effects of vacation on tourists have been frequently discussed in the Western context, research endeavors to understand such effects in a non-Western context are rather limited. The current study aimed at investigating Chinese tourists’ subjective well-being and its potential changes associated with vacation experiences. The survey of 302 Chinese tourists confirmed the positive effect of satisfaction with service aspects of travel/tourism phases on satisfaction with travel/tourism services, the positive effect of trip reflections and satisfaction with travel/tourism services on satisfaction with travel experiences, and the direct positive effect of satisfaction with travel experiences on travelers’ SWB. This study further explored the corresponding roles of travel duration and frequency. The results suggested a moderating effect of vacation duration on the link between tourist satisfaction and SWB; vacation frequency did not have such an effect. Theoretical and managerial implications of the findings were discussed, followed by recommendations for future research.

Does satisfaction with package tours lead to successful vacation experiences?

Abstract Tour operators play a key role in the creation of destination experiences by assembling and distributing package tourism products. This study examines how satisfaction with the components of a package tour affects the success of a vacation experience by analyzing customer satisfaction data (n=38,153) from the largest tour operator in Finland. A principal component analysis identified six dimensions of a package tour, of which a regression model indicated that tour operator's destination services and accommodation services were the key factors in explaining the success of the vacation experience. Pre-tour services and environmental issues were also essential, whereas flight and airport services were the least important. However, these six components explained only 34% of the variance in the success of an experience. Therefore, it is argued that satisfaction with tour operators’ services has only a limited impact on the success of a package tourism experience. This strengthens the idea that hybrid and complex tourism experiences are influenced by various factors and actors, many of which are irrespective of the tour operator.

Are we having fun yet? Savoring, Type A behavior, and vacation enjoyment

Although studies of Type A behavior ceased in the early 1990s because of failures to replicate its connections with heart disease, the Type A behavior pattern of speed, impatience, perfectionism, drivenness, and hostility may nevertheless be important in understanding individual differences in the subjective quality of life. The present study tested the hypothesis that Type A behavior undermines the enjoyment of leisure time and that this detrimental effect is mediated by savoring responses that hamper enjoyment. Confirming hypotheses, analysis of self-report survey data ( N = 764) revealed that: (a) higher levels of Type A impatience in social situations predicted significantly less vacation enjoyment; (b) social impatience predicted significantly lower levels of memory building and counting blessings, and higher levels of kill-joy thinking, as savoring responses to vacation experiences, which in turn predicted less enjoyment; and (c) variations in these three savoring responses significantly mediated the link between Type A impatience and enjoyment, and together explained 85% of the total effect of impatience on vacation enjoyment. Furthermore, Type A impatience significantly predicted kill-joy thoughts about how one’s vacation could have been better, but not kill-joy thoughts about other things one should be doing instead of vacationing, suggesting that A-B differences in dampening savoring responses reflect differences in perfectionism rather than time urgency. Finally, temporal awareness moderated the detrimental impact of Type A impatience on enjoyment, by weakening the negative relationship between impatience and enjoyment. Clearly, Type A behavior has implications for understanding the quality, if not the quantity, of people’s lives.

Holiday, What Holiday? Vacation Experiences of Children with Autism and Their Families

This work aims at identifying the types of holiday experienced by families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). 35 families of ASD children and 25 control families of children with Down’s Syndrome (DS) living in Scotland took part in a small scale semi-qualitative study to explore their experiences on holiday. In both groups, a significant proportion of the families had not taken any holiday away from home more than once in the last 3 years and there was limited use of children holiday centers. Families of ASD children who had been on holiday expressed overall less positive impressions of their experiences and showed limited use of public places such as restaurants, cafes, cinemas and hotels normally accessed by typical families whilst on vacation. Five areas were identified as influencing the quality of their experiences: 1-child’s disability, particularly with regard to behavior, 2-lack of suitable holiday structures, 3-financial limitation of the family, 4-lack of empathy from surrounding communities towards the disabled child and his or her family, 5- general state of exhaustion of the parents. The paper further describes two pilot holiday community experiences organised with 10 families with ASD children in an attempt to address some of the issues hereby identified. A retrospective analysis of these experiences and surveys suggests that amongst all five identified barriers, the issue of the child’s behavior is the most significant difficulty encountered by these families. Supporting families in understanding and improving their child’s’ behavior is needed to enable families to maximise their experience on holiday. Increasing the understanding of the condition, improving access to leisure activities and some financial aid would equally be beneficial.

Assessing the Perceived Restorative Qualities of Vacation Destinations

The objective of this study was to develop a tool for assessing how and why a destination can facilitate vacationers’ recovery from mental fatigue. Using attention restoration theory as a theoretical foundation, this research developed an initial instrument for assessing the perceived restorative qualities of vacation destinations (i.e., perceived destination restorative quality [PDRQ]). A 30-item, six-factor structure of destination restorativeness was identified. The six dimensions are compatibility, extent, mentally away, physically away, discord, and fascination. The proposed PDRQ provides a baseline measure for understanding the specific restorative properties of a particular destination. The proposed PDRQ instrument can potentially be valuable to researchers and industry practitioners interested in planning, designing, and delivering optimal restorative vacation experiences. The assessment of how a tourism destination may provide restorative properties is an understudied area. This research brings much needed attention to this topic.

Vacation (after-) effects on employee health and well-being, and the role of vacation activities, experiences and sleep

Most vacations seem to have strong, but rather short-lived effects on health and well-being (H&W). However, the recovery-potential of relatively long vacations and the underlying processes have been disregarded. Therefore, our study focused on vacations longer than 14 days and on the psychological processes associated with such a long respite from work. In the present study, we investigated (1) how health and well-being (H&W) develop during and after a long summer vacation, (2) whether changes in H&W during and after vacation relate to vacation activities and experiences and (3) whether changes in H&W during and after vacation relate to sleep. Fifty-four employees reported their H&W before, three or four times during and five times after vacation. Vacations lasted 23 days on average. Information on vacation experiences, work-related activities and sleep was collected during vacation. Vacation activities were assessed immediately after vacation. H&W increased quickly during vacation, peaked on the eighth vacation day and had rapidly returned to baseline level within the first week of work resumption. Vacation duration and most vacation activities were only weakly associated with H&W changes during and after vacation. Engagement in passive activities, savoring, pleasure derived from activities, relaxation, control and sleep showed strong relations with improved H&W during and to a lesser degree after vacation. In conclusion, H&W improved during long summer vacations, but this positive effect was short-lived. Vacation experiences, especially pleasure, relaxation, savoring and control, seem to be especially important for the strength and persistence of vacation (after-) effects.

Consumer Support for a Maine Woods Tourism Quality Label

David Vail and Harold Daniel report findings of a survey of North American vacationers. The survey assessed the strength of interest in quality-labeled Maine vacation experiences and tested consumer willingness to pay a price premium for certified tour “products.” The survey revealed that nearly four out of ten leisure travelers are responsive to the benefits promised by quality-labeled vacation experiences. The authors also describe steps communities, businesses, and state tourism leaders can take toward developing a Maine Woods quality label.

Rethinking authenticity and tourist identity: expressions of territoriality and belonging among repeat tourists on the Greek island of Symi

This paper approaches the subject of tourist identity from an anthropological perspective, arguing for a culturally contextualized analysis that focuses on the interactive and processual nature of these constructions. Specifically, it explores the processes by which repeat tourists on the Greek island of Symi construct their identities as tourists in relation to the place of their vacation experience, local residents and other tourists. It highlights the competitive and often antagonistic way in which these tourists – drawing on ideas about authenticity and demonstrating sympathy with local concerns – seek to incorporate the island as an aspect of their own personal identities and, similarly, create a form of ‘local’ identity in Symi. The picture of tourists that emerges in this case study contrasts sharply with standard analytical formulations that portray tourists as transient and liminal figures, defined almost exclusively by their vacation preferences and experiences, and constituting a category of people that is clearly distinguishable (practically and ideologically) from local residents. As a consequence, it argues for an approach to tourist identity that seeks out linkages between tourists and locals, and which looks more broadly at the views and experiences of tourists beyond the time and space of the vacation.

Internet Use, Recreational Travel, and HIV Risk Behaviors in Men Who Have Sex With Men

Previous studies have documented higher rates of HIV risk behavior in gay and bisexual men traveling for leisure. Most of these studies collected data in high-risk tourist areas known for promoting alcohol and other substance use. The present study sampled a broader range of men by collecting data at a Gay Pride celebration, and asking participants about vacation experiences over the past 12 months. We also collected information about men's use of the Internet to find sexual partners before they traveled. Overall, two-thirds of participants reported recreational travel in the previous year. Of these men, 17% reported having sex with a new partner during their most recent vacation. Forty-three percent of the respondents were sexually active during their vacation. Sexually-active participants reported a mean of 2.01 unprotected anal sex acts during their brief vacation stay (M = 6.2 days). Close to half of the sexually-active men reported having sex with a partner of unknown HIV status. Alcohol and drug use were associated with unprotected sex. Men who used the Internet to set up dates prior to travel reported significantly more sexual partners and were significantly more likely to report having sex with a new partner. Many gay and bisexual men on vacation report behaviors that may place their health at risk, including substance use and unprotected sexual activity. Interventions designed to reduce risk behaviors in this population are needed.

A structural theory of the vacation

This paper presents a structural theory of the vacation incorporating five premises: (1) vacations have structure, (2) many vacationers seek structure to their vacation experiences, (3) three alternate macrostructures exist amongst vacations, (4) vacation microstructure consists of a composite of elements chosen by the vacationer, and (5) vacation macrostructure impacts on microstructure decision-making. The paper identifies three vacation macrostructures – stay-put vacations, arranged touring vacations, and freewheeling touring vacations. The timing of the vacationer's choice of microelements of the vacation, including their choices in travel routes and places of accommodation, is inherently different for each of the three macrostructures. An empirical study identifies these three macrostructures amongst the trips undertaken by a representative sample of Swiss households. The study also observes differences between the three macrostructures in destinations chosen, duration of vacations, levels of vacation expenditure, composition of travel parties, choices of transport mode, and motives for travel. By understanding how tourists structure their vacations, tourism operators may be better able to create value in tourists' vacation experiences.

Study of Health Outcomes in School Children: Key Challenges and Lessons Learned From The Framingham Schools’ Natural History of Nevi Study

We describe the planning, recruitment, key challenges, and lessons learned in the development of a study of the evolution of nevi (moles) among children in a school setting. This population-based study of digital photography and dermoscopy of the child's back (overview, close-up, and dermoscopic images) and genetic specimens took place among fifth graders in the Framingham, Massachusetts School System. Schoolchildren and their parents completed baseline surveys on sun protection practices, sunburns, and past ultraviolet exposures, including summer and vacation experiences. Prestudy outreach was conducted with children, parents, nurses, administrators, and pediatricians. Of the 691 Framingham families with a fifth grader (aged 10-11), 443 consented to complete surveys and undergo digital photography and dermoscopy during the school's routine scoliosis testing. Of the 443 families providing consent, 369 agreed to genetic testing. We identified key factors to consider when implementing school-based studies: (a) pilot studies to demonstrate feasibility, (b) inclusion of school administration and parents, (c) grassroots approach with multiple contacts, and (d) embedding research studies within preexisting school health services. Launching an observational study within the school environment required an academic/school collaboration across numerous disciplines including dermatology, epidemiology, genetics, medical photography, school health, community health education, and most notably, the need for the presence of a full-time study nurse in the school. A large school system proved to be an excellent resource to conduct this first prospective study on the evolution of moles in US schoolchildren. The key challenges and lessons learned may be applicable to other investigators launching school-based initiatives.